The political crisis continues in Brazil and once again it has the epicenter of the Ministry of Health. Nelson Teich, holder of this ministerial portfolio for only four weeks, resigned on Friday due to disagreements with President Jair Bolsonaro. The news is a blow to the head of state, as the country enters the acute phase of the coronavirus epidemic.
Chloroquine at the heart of the differences
Above all, it is far from being a first: the predecessor of Nelson Teich had been sacked by Jair Bolsonaro, already for differences on the fight against the Covid-19. If this time the Minister of Health did not want to specify the reasons for his departure, his ministry sources said that this 62-year-old oncologist resigned for "differences of opinion" on the treatment with chloroquine. President Bolsonaro has pressured his minister to use this drug, which has so far been reserved for severe cases of Covid-19, from the start of treatment.
"Whoever succeeds Teich will probably have to adhere to the president's penchant for chloroquine", logically estimated Filipe Gruppelli Carvalho. The Eurasia Group analyst also underlines the "dysfunctions" within a heavily bureaucratic Ministry of Health supposed to organize coordination with states on the front line in the fight against the coronavirus. But chloroquine was "the drop of water" that broke the record. The road was narrow indeed, even impracticable, for the Minister of Health, facing a president who has long denounced "hysteria" against the coronavirus, this "small flu", and calls on the population to return to work.
Bodybuilding an essential activity
Yet upon his arrival at the ministry, Nelson Teich had affirmed his "total alignment" with Jair Bolsonaro. But since his appointment on April 17, he has had to reconsider his enthusiasm. The minister notably suffered snubbing, like the publication, without being informed of it, by President Bolsonaro of a decree last week including in "essential activities" to remain open the hair and beauty salons as well than weight rooms.
The departure of Nelson Teich "will reinforce the idea among the population that the president mismanages the pandemic", according to the analyst of Eurasia Group. The choice of the next health minister will therefore be a particularly important decision for Jair Bolsonaro. Politically, he can no longer afford to see the saying come to fruition: Never two without three.
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- Covid 19
- Resignation
- Jair Bolsonaro
- Brazil
- Coronavirus
- World